The Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs) are the state tests that help districts measure student progress toward Minnesota's academic standards and meet the requirements of No Child Left Behind.

Students in grades 3-8 and 10 take the Reading MCA-II Assessments. Students in grade 11 take the Mathematics MCA-II. Between 2006 and 2010, students in grades 3-8 took the Mathematics MCA-II, but starting in 2011 students in these grades take the Mathematics MCA-III. Beginning in 2008, students also take Science MCA-II Assessments in grades 5, 8 and high school. The MCA-II series is aligned to Minnesota academic standards adopted in 2003, while the MCA-III is aligned to 2007 standards. Results from the original MCA, the MCA-II, and the successor MCA-III series, should not be compared because they are aligned to different standards.